Everett Golson's transition from high school to Notre Dame hasn't been easy, but the freshman quarterback is ready to challenge for the starting job next season.

Golson was one of a handful of 2011 recruits that opted for early enrollment. After Golson started classes, he found that juggling school and football was a little more difficult than he imagined.

Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune wrote on wsbt.com about how Golson's classroom struggles contributed to his eventual redshirt status. Hansen wrote that after Andrew Hendrix made his debut against Air Force "...redshirting Golson in 2011 became a strong possibility. Some struggles in the classroom pushed it to a definite."

Once Golson's redshirt status was determined, he got more comfortable in the classroom, but he became more comfortable on the field as well.

Hansen quotes Golson as saying, "As soon as it was determined that I was going to be to on the scout team, I was able to focus on my skill development on the field and my academics off it."

He became an vital contributor on the scout team, and Golson was even honored as the Scout Team Player of the Year.

Golson deserves the dual-threat label. While he has the ability to escape pressure and take off running, Golson also has pinpoint accuracy on his deep throws. In his junior year of high school, he posted 3,558 passing yards with 47 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Golson certainly has the ability to pick up yards on the ground, but don't be fooled, he is a throw first quarterback.

The freshman has been the talk of the town ever since he enrolled at Notre Dame. Fans have projected all of their hopes for a quarterback onto Golson, but he has high expectations for himself, too.

As one could imagine, Golson is ready for his chance. He spent this season waiting in the wings and has gained valuable experience learning the playbook.

Matt Foturna wrote on espn.go.com, "That opportunity may come this offseason. Irish coach Brian Kelly has said that Hendrix will relieve Tommy Rees in Dec. 29's Champs Sports Bowl, but the quarterback situation beyond that remains unclear."

So, for Golson, a chance to become the starting quarterback at Notre Dame could come soon. He has taken hold of his classroom responsibilities, now, all he has to do is take the field and prove fans right.